Papabile

Papabile (/pəˈpɑːbɪleɪ/ pə-PAH-bil-ay, UK also /-li/ -⁠ee, Italian: [paˈpaːbile]; plural: papabili; lit. 'pope-able' or 'able to be pope') is an Italian word neologised in the fifteenth century at least, used internationally in many languages to describe a Catholic man—in practice, always a cardinal—who is thought of as a likely or possible candidate to be elected pope by the College of Cardinals. The term has been popularised by Vaticanologists.

In some cases, cardinals who were considered papabile were elected pope. Among them are Eugenio Pacelli (Pius XII) in 1939, Giovanni Battista Montini (Paul VI) in 1963, Joseph Ratzinger (Benedict XVI) in 2005, Jorge Mario Bergoglio (Francis) in 2013, and Robert Francis Prevost (Leo XIV) in 2025.

At times, however, the college have elected candidates not considered papabile by most Vatican watchers. In recent years, these have included Angelo Roncalli (John XXIII) in 1958, Albino Luciani (John Paul I) in August 1978, and Karol Wojtyła (John Paul II) in October 1978. From this is derived a famous proverb: "He who enters the conclave as pope, leaves it as a cardinal".

The list of papabili changes as cardinals age. For instance, Carlo Maria Martini was thought to be papabile until he retired from his see upon reaching 75 years of age in 2002.